THE MISO BOOK: The Art of Cooking with Miso

How do you become an expert on miso? Spend eight months apprenticed to a traditional miso master in a Japanese village. Work long, hot hours preparing and mixing soybeans, separating the grains by hand and fermenting them in 200-year-old vats. At least that's what these authors have done, and the result is this engrossing guide to fermented soy. In the hands of the Bellames, miso is more than an ingredient: it's an ancient tradition, originating in China around 800 B.C., before becoming the food of conquerors in 15th-century Japan. It became an integral part of the lives of modern Japanese people, and spread to America during the 1960s macrobiotics movement. This book covers different types of miso, how to make miso at home and miso's health benefits, which include lowered cholesterol and enhanced immune function. The book's bulk and climax is a buffet of tempting recipes: expected fare, like Kyoto-Style Miso Soup and Spicy Soba Salad, accompany many dishes not normally associated with miso, such as French Onion Soup, Italian-Style Stuffed Shells, Caribbean Fish Chowder and Apple-Nut Muffins. Although the authors probably offer more information about miso than most people need to know, their reverence and enthusiasm for their topic is impressive. (July)